Wisconsin Lakes Pepper (Sweet), Organic

Where southern-bred bell peppers can drop blossoms during erratic cool spells, Wisconsin Lakes is engineered by nature and careful selection to perform with unmatched consistency.

• Exceptional Flesh & Wall Thickness: One of the thickest-walled open-pollinated bells available, giving every pepper a juicy, dense snap that resists bruising and blossom-end rot.
• Sweet, Full-Bodied Flavor: Crisp and refreshing with a clean garden snap when harvested green, turning exceptionally sweet and rich with notes of ripe melon when allowed to ripen to full red.
• Built for Northern Summers: Bred for midwestern resilience, this variety easily sets early, concentrated flushes of fruit even in cool, damp, or fluctuating seasonal temperatures.
• Kitchen & Preserving Star: Thanks to its firm, meaty walls and upright shape, it is widely considered the premier heirloom bell for canning, pickling, and freezing, as well as stuffing, fresh summer salads, and salsa-making.

"Wisconsin Lakes is the definition of garden dependability. Northern gardeners often struggle to get sweet bells to turn fully red before the season ends, but this heirloom delivers year after year. The walls are so thick and crunchy that you can hear the snap from across the kitchen when you slice into one. It’s a true midwestern classic that deserves a spot in every garden bed."

• Sowing: Start seeds indoors 8–10 weeks before your average last spring frost date. Use bottom heat (75–85°F) for quick, reliable sprouting.
• Transplanting: Harden off plants gradually and set them into fertile, well-draining garden soil in full sun after all danger of frost has passed and night temperatures stay above 55°F.
• Plant Care: Plants grow to a compact, bushy 24–28 inches. Due to the heavy weight of the thick-walled peppers, a small stake or ring cage helps keep branches upright during peak fruiting.
• Harvesting: Cut peppers with garden snips rather than pulling. Harvest continuously at the dark green stage to stimulate ongoing production, or let them ripen to brilliant ruby red for peak sweetness and vitamin content.